President Donald Trump has announced that he is halting funding to the World Health Organisation for their role in severely mismanaging and covering u
President Donald Trump has announced that he is halting funding to the World Health Organisation for their role in severely mismanaging and covering up the spread of coronavirus, CNN is reporting.
Trump’s announcement comes in the middle of the worst global pandemic in decades and as he angrily defends his own handling of the outbreak in the United States. The US funds $400 million to $500 million to the WHO each year, Trump said, noting that China “contributes roughly $40 million.”
“Had the WHO done its job to get medical experts into China to objectively assess the situation on the ground and to call out China’s lack of transparency, the outbreak could have been contained at its source with very little death,” Trump said.
His decision to withdraw funding from the WHO follows a pattern of skepticism of world organizations that began well before the coronavirus pandemic. Trump has questioned US funding to the United Nations, withdrawn from global climate agreements and lambasted the World Trade Organization — claiming all were ripping off the United States.
Trump said that if the WHO had acted appropriately, he could have instituted a travel ban on people coming from China sooner. He said the WHO made a “dangerous and costly” decision to oppose travel restrictions from China.
But just days before Trump instituted his ban on travelers from China, he also was praising the country. On January 24, Trump tweeted: “China has been working very hard to contain the Coronavirus. The United States greatly appreciates their efforts and transparency. It will all work out well. In particular, on behalf of the American People, I want to thank President Xi!”
The annnouncement for withholding fundings to WHO, came days after the United Kingdom announced an additional £65 million contribution to the body.
